Jerry McBride/Durango Herald file
Kerry Guy, on-scene coordinator with the Environmental Protection Agency, stands inside the Red & Bonita Mine north of Silverton. The EPA closed the bulkhead at the mine to evaluate whether a permanent closure is a long-term option. 2020 marked the five-year anniversary of the Gold King Mine Spill, which released 3 million gallons of wastewater into the Animas River. It is expected the agency will start cleanup projects to improve water quality in 2021.